Interpersonal & Intercultural
Communication
By
Peter Sercombe, ECLS, Newcastle University
Intercultural Communication
Break down:
http://youtu.be/M2z-HYnRTdQ
http://youtu.be/PSt_op3fQck
http://youtu.be/WXCvAX5Wl8w
INTERCULTURAL AWARENESS WORKSHOP
Culture
Communication
Cross- and Intercultural Communication
Culture
What does it mean?
 ‘Culture or civilisation, taken in its wide ethnographic sense, is that
complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law,
custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a
member of society’ (Tylor 1871: 1)
 Culture is an active process of meaning making and contest over
definition … This then is what I mean by arguing that Culture is a verb
(Street 1993: 25)
 ‘Culture in all its meanings and with all its affiliated concepts, is
situational’ (Blommaert 1998: n.p.)
Culture’s links with communication
Communication creates culture: culture is a means of
communication. Language carries culture, and culture
carries, particularly through orature and literature,
the entire body of values by which we come to
perceive ourselves and our place in the world (Ngugi
1986: 15-16).
Cross- and Intercultural Communication
What do they mean?
Cross-Cultural Communication (CCC) tends to compare patterns of
communication and interactions across peoples from different cultural
backgrounds (an ethnological position)
Intercultural Communication (ICC) considers (interpersonal)
communication which has the added characteristics of cultural ‘variance’
between those people involved, in one or more areas, such as: values,
beliefs, thought patterns, practices (including language) and other
habits of behaviour. Cultural variance can be salient in that it can create
differing expectations and interpretations of interactions between
people. [See Scollon & Scollon (2001: 13) for the distinction they make
between ICC and CCC, as well as Gudykunst (2000: 314)]
Is all communication intercultural?
Discussion
How would you define intercultural communication before?
How would you define intercultural communication now?
Do you have any other questions pertaining to intercultural
communication?
References / Sources
Berge, K. L. (1994). Communication. In R. E. Asher, & J. M. Y. Simpson (eds) The Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Oxford:
Pergamon, pp. 614-620.
•
Birdwhistell, R. L. (1973). Kinesics. In Argyle, M. (ed.) Social Encounters. Harmondsworth: Penguin, pp. 93-102.
•
Blommaert, J. (1998). Different Approaches to Intercultural Communication: A Critical Survey. Plenary lecture, Lernen und Arbeiten in
einer international vernetzten und multikulturellen Gesellschaft, Expertentagung Universität Bremen, Institut für
Projektmanagement und Witschaftsinformatik (IPMI), 27-28 February. http://www.flwi.ugent.be/cie/CIE/blommaert1.htm
•
Gudykunst, W. B. (2000). Methodological issues in conducting theory-based cross-cultural research. In H. Spencer-Oatey (ed.)
Culturally Speaking. Managing Rapport through Talk across Cultures. London: Continuum, pp. 293-315.
•
Kramsch, C. (2001). Intercultural Communication. In R. Carter & D. Nunan (eds) The Cambridge Guide to Teaching English to Speakers
of Other Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
•
Longman (1991). Longman Dictionary of the English Language. London: Longman.
•
Ngugi wa Thiong’o (1986). Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature. London: James Currey.
•
Scollon, R. & Scollon, S. W. (2001). Intercultural Communication: A Discourse Approach. Oxford: Blackwell (2nd edition).
•
Shannon, C. & Weaver, W. (1949). The Mathematical Theory of Communication. Illinois: University of Illinois Press.
•
Street, B. (1993). Culture is a verb. In D. Graddol, L. Thompson and M. Byram (eds) Language and Culture. Clevedon: BAAL and
Multilingual Matters, pp. 23-43.
•
Tylor, E. B. (1871). Primitive Culture: Researches into the Development of Mythology, Philosophy, Religion, Language, Art and Custom.
New York: Henry Holt.